Abhishek Sharma smashed 135 runs in 5th T20I vs England [Source: AP]
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India's explosive opener Abhishek Sharma had a memorable outing last night, slamming a magnificent century in the fifth T20 International against England at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Opening the batting for India, the southpaw hammered seven fours and thirteen massive sixes for a belligerent 54-ball 135, powering the hosts to a whopping total of 247 runs in 20 overs.
Abhishek broke Shubman Gill's record for the highest individual score by an Indian in T20Is with his stellar knock. However, it's worth mentioning that Abhishek's 135-run blitzkrieg was not sufficient to help him earn a place among players with the top five highest individual scores in T20I cricket.
As shown in the above table, Australia's former captain Aaron Finch claims the first position with a highest score of 172, which he recorded against Zimbabwe in 2018. Interestingly, Finch also occupies the third position with a score of 156, which he registered against England way back in 2013.
Afghanistan opener Hazratullah Zazai is second on the list, while players like Glenn Maxwell, Kushal Malla, Finn Allen and Michael Levitt are ranked higher than Abhishek Sharma in the list.
It's worth mentioning that both Levitt and Abhishek have same highest score (135) in T20 Internationals. However, the Dutch opener is placed higher as he achieved the milestone before his Indian counterpart.
Abhishek Sharma's All-Round Heroics In 5th T20I
Besides scoring 135 runs with the bat, Abhishek Sharma oozed his class with the ball, scalping two crucial wickets during England's run-chase. He dismissed Brydon Carse and Jamie Overton in a single over, dismantling England's lower middle order with his left-arm off spin. His extraordinary all-round effort resulted in India's clinical victory, as the hosts bagged the series by 4-1.